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Winemaker's Notes:

Sensory Notes:The bouquet of this wine includes a beautiful combination of lavender, plum and smoke. It is richly layered with the meatiness of the varietal backed with berry, pomegranate and plum fruits. The spice and smoke from the oak make a great pairing to the supple fruit while a sweet vanillin lingers on the finish. The texture of this wine is denser than past vintages with polished tannins that add richness from start to finish. The excellent progression of fruit, spice, toast, and meat that continues into a long, supple finish has become a signature of this vineyard. / 750ml Vineyard Description:Tucked into the gently rolling hills of Sonoma's Russian River Valley, Darien Vineyard enjoys a moderate climate and well-drained, loamy soils. The Syrah vines were planted in 2000 and benefit from cool, foggy mornings that give way to warm afternoon sun from the southeast, allowing the exposed fruit to ripen evenly. The clusters tend to be fairly long in size and tightly packed. There are three different clones planted in the vineyard, each contributing its own unique flavors to the wine. Nickel & Nickel selects fruit from less than four acres of the 25-acre vineyard. Harvest Notes:The growing season in 2005 was a bit behind normal with budbreak occurring in late March and bloom following in late May. The vineyard had a large "set" this year and it was necessary to go through and drop crop in order to let the clusters hang loosely. A mild summer followed and we were concerned that without the heat, the fruit would have trouble ripening. Fortunately, an Indian summer gave us the heat that we were looking for and sugar and flavor development pursued. The crop size was still slightly higher than expected however the quality of the fruit looked terrific. We harvested toward the end of October before the days started getting cooler. This wine was fermented in both open top and closed top tanks with the hope of fully expressing the vineyards character.

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Nickel & Nickel:
Established in 1997 by the partners of Far Niente, Nickel & Nickel is based on a philosophy of producing 100 percent varietal, single-vineyard wines that best express the distinct personality of each vineyard. It is from some of the most coveted vineyards in the Napa and Sonoma valleys that the Nickel & Nickel wines are produced.

Wine Tasting NotesThis wine is dark in color and opens with floral aromas of lavender, plum and spice. A bit of pomegranate fruit shows through on this vintage with layers of bacon, vanilla and a little "funk" known to the varietal. This wine is full from start to finish and has an excellent progression of fruit, spice, toast and meat that continues into a long, supple finish.

Sensory Notes:The bouquet of this wine includes a beautiful combination of lavender, plum and smoke. It is richly layered with the meatiness of the varietal backed with berry, pomegranate and plum fruits. The spice and smoke from the oak make a great pairing to the supple fruit while a sweet vanillin lingers on the finish. The texture of this wine is denser than past vintages with polished tannins that add richness from start to finish. The excellent progression of fruit, spice, toast, and meat that continues into a long, supple finish has become a signature of this vineyard. / 750ml Vineyard Description:Tucked into the gently rolling hills of Sonoma's Russian River Valley, Darien Vineyard enjoys a moderate climate and well-drained, loamy soils. The Syrah vines were planted in 2000 and benefit from cool, foggy mornings that give way to warm afternoon sun from the southeast, allowing the exposed fruit to ripen evenly. The clusters tend to be fairly long in size and tightly packed. There are three different clones planted in the vineyard, each contributing its own unique flavors to the wine. Nickel & Nickel selects fruit from less than four acres of the 25-acre vineyard. Harvest Notes:The growing season in 2005 was a bit behind normal with budbreak occurring in late March and bloom following in late May. The vineyard had a large "set" this year and it was necessary to go through and drop crop in order to let the clusters hang loosely. A mild summer followed and we were concerned that without the heat, the fruit would have trouble ripening. Fortunately, an Indian summer gave us the heat that we were looking for and sugar and flavor development pursued. The crop size was still slightly higher than expected however the quality of the fruit looked terrific. We harvested toward the end of October before the days started getting cooler. This wine was fermented in both open top and closed top tanks with the hope of fully expressing the vineyards character.